Continuous forms folder machine



.Nov. 14, 1967 Filed O ct. 14, 1965 D. PR'ESTON 3,352,553

CONTINUOUS FORMS FOLDER MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nqv. 14, 1967 D.PRESTON I CONTINUOUS FORMS FOLDER MACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 1965 4Sheets-Sheet 2 I Wm mm 1 T R 9n 1 v KN 9 MW M. L w n m U M m mwfi 1 g \HH D. PRESTON I Nov. 14, 1967 CONTINUOUS FORMS FOLDER MACHINE Filed 0m.14, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,352,553 CONTINUOUSFORMS FOLDER MACHINE David Preston, St. Louis, Mo. (1128 S. GarrisonAve., Carthage, Mo. 64836) Filed Oct. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 496,033 9Claims. (Cl. 270-79) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for rapidlyproducing zigzag folds in an elongated strip of paper and discharging amultifold prod not with folds in overlapped relation. The machine feedsthe strip toward a table to loop the strip alternately in oppositedirections between stops spaced along the table, there being rollerscooperating with the stops to flatten the loops into sharp folds.

The invention relates to a machine for zigzag folding of a continuousstrip of material as supplied usually from a roll of paper.

The main object of the invention is to expedite the flat and accuratefolding of the material in the strip by thrusting alternate loops of thefolds against spaced opposing stops and simultaneously subjecting theindividual loops to creasing compression by impacts from coactingmachine elements as distinguished from folding machines previously madein which successive folds are fed against stops by friction elements andare subject to creasing pressure mainly as the folds increasesubstantially in number.

This general object is attained by feeding looped areas of the stripagainst a stop and simultaneously sharply pressing the sides of eachfold toward each other. Preferably the mechanism includes a surface forsupporting the paper as it is folded back and forth, spaced apart stopsabove the supported surface, spaced apart belts and cylinders extendingtransversely of the supporting surface for feeding the strip toward thestops alternately, the stripengaging portions of the stops and cylindersbeing grooved and ridged to enable the rollers to rapidly and sharplyimpact and compress the strip loop during its folding by the machine.

These and other specific objects are attained by the machine shown inthe accompanying drawings illustrating a selected embodiment of theinvention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of the machine.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the machine.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the machine approximately online 44 of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are detail sections showing successive positions of thepaper contacting elements of the machine during the completion of a folThe machine includes a substantially rigid frame having a front side 1,where the operator is stationed normally, a rear side 2, an input end 3and an output end 4. Brackets on the input end mount a spindle 10a whichcarries a roll of paper R. The paper in the roll has been perforated orscored previously transversely of its length at regular intervals andthe flmction of the machine is to flatten successive folds or loopsfacing in opposite directions along the transverse lines of perforationsor scorings P.

A table 5 is mounted on frame 1 and extends substantially the fulllength of the frame and projects at 6 to Patented Nov. 14, 1967 the leftof the frame. Transverse rollers 8, 9 at the ends of table 5, 6, andtransverse bars 7 between rollers 8, 9 mount conveyor tapes 11 which runlengthwise of the table and feed the folds F, formed in paper strip S,along extension 6 for manual removal from the machine.

Paper strip S from roll R is led over a feed roller 13 having a shaftjournaled in the sides of the machine frame. A hold-down roller 14 isjournaled on the swinging ends of arms 15 pivoted on a spindle 16 seatedin brackets 17 on the sides of frame 1. A rod 18 extends to the leftfrom spindle 16 and a weight 19 slidable along rod 18 provides foradjustment of the friction between rollers 13, 14 and the paper strip.Roller 13 'is driven by a belt from a motor M mounted on a transverseframe platform L.

Transverse feed belt rollers 20 include shafts journaled in the sides ofthe machine frame intermediate the ends of the frame and are belt drivenfrom roller 13, the shafts of rollers 13 and 20 being geared to eachother. Flat bars 22, 23 (FIGS. 3, 4) are disposed end to end lengthwiseof the machine and have their adjacent ends pivoted on the shafts ofrollers 20, 20, respectively. The-opposite end portions of bars 22, 23slidably mount bearings 24 for the shafts of idler belt rollers 25.Bearings 24 are adjustable along bars 22, 23 by screws 24a. A pluralityof V-belts 26 are seated in grooves in rollers 20, 25.

Intermediate each roller 20 and associated roller 25 is a short channelsection bearing block 27 (FIG. 4) slidable along the bar 22, 23 butretained at desired position as explained below. Each pair of blocks 27at front and rear of the machine journals a shaft 28 mounting a cylinder29 each having a plurality of spaced rows of teeth 29a and the groovesbetween the rows of teeth receive the lower flights of belts 26 anddrive the cylinders in the direction of arrows A. Beneath each cylinder29 is an angle stop 30 extending transversely of the machine and securedat its ends to bars 22, 23 respectively and having its upright legnotched at N (FIGS. 5, 6) to receive the cylinder teeth. The horizontalleg of each angle stop is spaced above tapes 11 and table 5 but thisspace may be adjusted as explained below.

As the paper strip is fed downwardly by roller 13 it contacts belts 26and is moved toward tapes 11 and doubles along the perforation lines Pto assume oval loop forms beneath the lower flights of the belts. As thepaper strip begins to loop, the upper leaf of each loop is engaged bythe lower flights of the V-belts and is frictionally moved toward acorresponding stop 30. Then successive teeth 29a contact the endportions of the loops and press them downwardly from the belt and towardthe stops. As successive loops accumulate, the teeth press the loopscloser to the tapes and table and reduce the height of the loops andcrease their folds more sharply. As the folds accumulate between belts26 and tapes 11, sufficient friction'is created to cause the tapes tomove a group of the folded sheets to the left from beneath the cylindersand the friction-induced movement carries the foldsto spacing of theseparts according to the thickness and stiffness of the paper strip. It isto be understood that the most effective action will result from acareful coordination of the tape speed, tautness of the belts and tapes,the distances between the belts and tapes and between the opposed stops,the distances between the cylinders, their stops, and the table andtapes, all varying with the thickness and stiffness of the paper andwith the Width and length of the folded loops. Such adjustments arereadily effected, as described below, by an attendant stationed at thefront of the machine The ends of the bars remote from rollers 20 aresupported by individual transverse carriers 31 (FIGS. 1, 3), the ends ofwhich are slidable vertically along brackets 32 on the machine frame. Anupstanding threaded shaft 34 is attached at its lower end to the middleportion of each carrier 31 and extends upwardly therefrom through ahorizontal bar 35 supported on brackets 32. A hand wheel 36 threaded oneach shaft 34 supports that shaft and associated carrier 31 and providesmeans for readily adjusting the height of the outer ends of theassociated pair of bars 22, 23.

Each bar 22, 23 is provided with an adjustable extension 40 whichincludes a bearing for a transverse shaft 41. Journaled in each pair ofbars 22, 23 and associated shaft 41 are a pair of spaced sprockets 43,44 which mount an endless sprocket chain 45 engaged by a finger 46depending from bearing block 27. The shaft of each sprocket 44 isrotatable by a hand wheel 47 at the front of the machine. Thus theassociated front and rear chains 45 and bearing blocks 27 for a cylinder29 are moved simultaneously by the attendant without leaving the frontof the machine. Each block 27 has a lock screw 48 for clamping theadjusted block to its supporting bar 22, 23.

Also the table is raised and lowered by upright threaded shafts 56threaded through table supporting carriers 57 and having lower endbearings 58 on end pieces of the machine frame. Sprockets 59 on theupper ends of shafts 56 at front and rear of the machine are connectedby chains 60. A hand wheel 61 on the front shaft 56 only of each pair ofshafts provides for simultaneous and equal raising and lowering of thefront and rear ends of each carrier 57 and of the corresponding end ofthe table.

Tapes 11 are moved along table intermittently by the overriding clutch71 (FIG. 1) oscillated by a lever 72 connected by a block 73 positionedalong lever 72 by a screw 74 rotatable by a hand wheel 75 and connectedby a pitman 76 to an adjustable eccentric pin 77 on a drum 78 at the endof a shaft 79 driven by a chain 80 (FIG. 2) and a sprocket 81 on a shaft82 geared to the shaft of feed roller 13. Hand wheel 75 facilitatesready variation of the extent of the step-by-step advancement of thetapes. 7

A tape elevating roller 85 (FIG. 3) is mounted on the free ends of crankarms 86 on a shaft 87 journaled in the machine frame and manuallyadjustable by a worm wheel 88 and handle 89 (FIG. 1). This devicefacilitates vertical adjustment of tapes 11 immediately beneath theright hand angle stop 30. Similar adjustment is not required beneath theother stop as the movement of the tapes, indicated by arrow B, deliversthe folds to the left as shown in FIG. 1.

All the critical adjustments are identical at front and rear of themachine and are readily effected by the attendant operating a singlecontrol 'for each adjustment. The adjustments may be made while themachine is operating and throughout the range of machine speeds andwhile the paper folding is in full view of the attendant. This greatlyreduces the set-up time as well as making possible high speed productionoperation.

The details of the structure may be varied widely in details withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and exclusive use ofmodifications embodying the spirit of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for making continuous zigzag folds in a strip offlexible material, a table-like support, stop members above said supportand spaced apart lengthwise thereof and facing each other, meansintermediate said stop members to feed a strip of material toward saidsupport from above and thereby loop the strip as it contacts saidsupport, each stop member having upstanding teeth at intervals along itslength, a roller extending alongside each stop member, belt meansassociated with the rollers and including flights facing the table andmoving past the rollers away from the space intermediate the rollers forengaging the strip as it leaves said feeding means and guiding the striptoward said stop member alternately, each of said rollers having spacedcircumferential grooves receiving the teeth of the associated stopmember to engage looped portions of the strip adjacent the stop memberand then thrust the stop member engaging portion of the strip looptoward the adjacent stop member and toward the table to flatten the loopinto a sharp fold.

2. A machine according to claim 1 in which portions of each rollerbetween its spaced grooves are notched transversely at angular intervalsabout the roller periphery to provide spaced apart impact elementscircumferentially of the roller periphery.

3. A machine according to claim 1 which includes means for adjusting thedistance between the roller axis and the associated table-like supportto vary the depth of reception of the stop teeth into the roller groovesduring folding operations of the machine.

4. A machine according to claim 1 which includes a frame supporting thetable-like support, stop members and rollers, and includes means toadjust the support on the frame toward and away from the stop members tovary the pressure of the rollers on the strip folds resting on thesupport.

5. A machine according to claim 1 which includes means for adjusting thedistance between the support and the rollers, and other means foradjusting the distance between the teeth of each stop member and theadjacent roller.

6. In a machine for making continuous zigzag folds in a strip offlexible material, a frame, a table-like support thereon, stops abovesaid support and spaced apart lengthwise thereof and facing each other,means intermediate said stops to feed the strip of material downwardlyfreely toward said support from above into con tact wih said support andto bend the strip alternately toward respective stops to double thestrips into loops facing toward the middle of the distance between thestops, a rotating cylinder extending alongside each stop with its lowersurface moving toward the stop to engage and flatten the loops,vertically spaced belts and tapes moving together transversely of andbeneath one of said cylinders and the associated stop to discharge thefolded loops toward one end of the machine, and manually operable meansfor adjusting said belts and tapes relative to each other during normaloperation of the machine.

7. A machine according to claim 6 which includes drum rollers mountingthe belts and tapes and extending substantially parallel to thestrip-engaging cylinders and provided with bearings movably mounted onopposite sides of the machine frame, there being mechanism for shiftingthe bearings at opposite ends of each roller vertically relative to thetable-like support and relative to each other and including means forshifting said bearings simultaneously.

8. A machine according to claim 6 in which the belts are mounted onrollers each journaled in a pair of spaced bearings positioned atopposite sides of the machine frame, and the manually operative meansincludes mechanism at one side of the frame for vertically adjustingboth of the bearings for each roller simultaneously and equally.

9. A machine as described in claim 1 which includes vertically spacedbelts and tapes movable along the table above and below the flattenedfolds to frictionally engage the folds and convey them along the tablefor discharge from one end thereof, and manually operable means formachine.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1914 Kunzi 270-79 6 Campbell270-79 Lach 27079 Lach 27079 Loase 27073 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, PrimaryExaminer.

P. WILLIAMS, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A MACHINE FOR MAKING CONTINUOUS ZIGZAG FOLDS IN A STRIP OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL, A TABLE-LIKE SUPPORT, STOP MEMBERS ABOVE SAID SUPPORT AND SPACED APART LENGTHWISE THEREOF AND FACING EACH OTHER, MEANS INTERMEDIATE SAID STOP MEMBERS TO FEED A STRIP OF MATERIAL TOWARD SAID SUPPORT FROM ABOVE AND THEREBY LOOP THE STRIP AS IT CONTACTS SAID SUPPORT, EACH STOP MEMBER HAVING UPSTANDING TEETH AT INTERVALS ALONG ITS LENGTH, A ROLLER EXTENDING ALONGSIDE EACH STOP MEMBER, BELT MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ROLLERS AND INCLUDING FLIGHTS FACING THE TABLE AND MOVING PAST THE ROLLERS AWAY FROM THE SPACE INTERMEDIATE THE ROLLERS FOR ENGAGING THE STRIP AS IT LEAVES SAID FEEDING MEANS AND GUIDING THE STRIP TOWARD SAID STOP MEMBER ALTERNATELY, EACH OF SAID ROLLERS HAVING SPACED CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVES 